Vlora, 16/09/2016 - Appeal from Vlore: Platform One Adriatic requires a sea from oil pollution-free and not be threatened by the drilling, exploration activities for oil

Was held in Vlora the press conference in support of the international trip of the Italian boat Goletta Verde, which is part of the "One Adriatic" initiative. This initiative brings together environmental organizations of Adriatic basin that oppose drilling activities for oil extraction and support the protection of the Adriatic Sea without pollution.

In frame of this important Legambiente organization and the platform "One Adriatic" campaign, the boat Goletta Verde sailed along the Adriatic coast from Dubrovnik (Croatia) in Vlora (Albania), by stopping to the port of Bar's (Montenegro) with the aim to increase awareness of local and regional communities and notification of the threat from oil-producing activities.

Extraction projects and extraction of oil and natural gas in the sea are potential industrial incidents, which can cause irreparable environmental and economic damage. Such activities have a tendency to become active in Albania where their example is activation of the well site construction of "Western Zvërneci -1" which will be served for the installation of the probe of the well drilling for oil research and capturing about 4,600 m depth below the soil surface. Development of the project will be completed by the company "San Leon Durres B.V" local branch of the international company San Leon Energy. Fortunately, so far it is interrupted and the demand of local environmental organizations in the community is taken into account. They objected mightily such activity especially inside protected areas.

Currently, the major threat to the situation in the Adriatic Sea represents Montenegro, where the government has given approval for such activities at sea for Italian-Russian consortium Eni Novatek. Civil society organizations, part of the group oppose and condemn the signing of such an agreement and qualify as a death sentence for coastal tourism, the development of such oil extraction activities. This group also condemns the authorities for failing to inform the more than 80% of people on the coast to the environmental consequences associated with economic and community. Strategic assessment report on the environmental impact of oil and gas is not complete and clearly demonstrates a complete lack of appropriate care institutions in case of negative impacts on fishing and tourism. Public hearing process is not respected and economic benefits from oil extraction industry are not clear to the community.

Concessions in Montenegro near the area of Ulcinj, constitute a serious threat even to Albania, after their placement is very near the border with Albania. Accident consequences can affect marine waters and coastline of both states simultaneously.

It is important to note that Albanian part of the Adriatic Sea unresponsive to such projects and not only. The incidents happened in recent years where tons of oil spilled into the sea has shown a slow reaction and not in an institutional way to manage such situations and to ensure clean and attractive sea to tourism.

Against oil exploration and exploitation in the Adriatic pleaded and initiatives of Greenpeace and the Green Action Croatia. Representatives of the initiative have commented on the oil project in Montenegro as very worrying for their sea part because the area is just a few dozen kilometres away from Dubrovnik.

According Legambinete Italy, the Adriatic Sea is under attack by the major oil companies. In Italy, the company Geo Spectrum will implement a new seismic survey in an area of ​​35,000km2, despite huge opposition from local and regional communities. The research will be done with harmful techniques "air gun" that has a strong impact on fisheries and biodiversity of the Adriatic, especially mammals such as dolphins and whales. Negative consequences will be felt on both sides of the Adriatic and the need to respond to all relevant structures on both sides of the sea so that together we do everything possible to stop it.

One Adriatic Platform brought together representatives of environmental organizations from countries with access to the Adriatic Sea, including WWF, Greenpeace, Green Action (Friends of the Earth Croatia), Green Istria, Green Home from Montenegro and Legambiente, Italy.